


Not the Lark

by AwayLaughing



Category: Charmed
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brother Feels, Brotherly Love, Canonical Character Death, Episode: s06e23 It's a Bad Bad Bad Bad World (Part 2), Gen, Universe Alteration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-15
Updated: 2015-11-15
Packaged: 2018-05-01 16:34:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5212940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwayLaughing/pseuds/AwayLaughing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris Halliwell saves his brother and the world. Wyatt's there to prove it.</p><p>{Season 6 Finale AU}</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not the Lark

**Author's Note:**

>   
>  _No thing that ever flew,_   
>  _Not the lark, not you,_   
>  _Can die as others do._   
> 

During the war, Leo had often thought to himself _'next time, I'll be used to it'_. Next time the smell of wet blood hung in the air so thick it coated his throat, he wouldn't have to ignore the urge to gag. The next time his hands were hot and wet, he wouldn't feel goosebumps raise on his arms and neck. The next time a comrade, a beloved brother in arms, was breathing his last Leo's world wouldn't blur in tears of grief and frustration, not even for a tiny second.

 

Afterwards, Leo started promising there would be no more text times. Every charge was the last, Violet, shy and mistrusting but so hopeful. She had been the last. No, no Lakshman, so full of faith and charm, he was. Si Woo was last, him and his dreams and his sly grins. Akosua, with her big trusting smile and bigger heart. _She_ was the last. And then Prue, with all her talent and prophecy and tenacity. She was the last. And it kept not being true, just like during the war. There was never any last. Something managed to happen. A place he couldn't hear or sense them. A darklighter, waiting in the wings, ready to try and take him down or just chase him off. Something terrible that just couldn't be treated. The shame inducing act of simply orbing in a second too late.

 

A wound made by a cursed athame.

 

Leo's hands stayed over the wound all the same, shaking as they were. Selfishly, very selfishly, Leo wished he wasn't here. Wished he'd never known who Chris was and that maybe five, maybe ten years from now he'd just wake up and be surprised to see a tiny Chris Perry walking around - or running – and smiling and happy. Because Leo had never in his life, human or otherwise, his _last time_ would be his son.

 

His brilliant, driven, selfless, flawed and so, so good son.

 

Under him, Chris made a weak sound and tried to push his hand away. The golden glow wasn't really doing anything, other than making Leo feel worse, but still he persisted. Through the smell and feel and the hot burning in his eyes. “I'm so sorry,” he said, or tried to.

 

Because the world ripped – no, rippled – in a way Leo knew very well. Chris made another noise, and to Leo's astonishment attempted to sit up, hand rising in defense, even as Leo felt his magical core sputtering to nothing. Like a candle's last, guttering attempt at providing light. Even if the curse broke, Leo realized as a tall figure came out of the portal, no one could have healed Chris. There just wasn't enough of him left to fight. But Leo could, and he made to rise only for the figure to speak.

 

“Chris don't,” he said, and Leo stopped at the tone of voice, calm and compassionate. Paired with golden hair and hazel eyes.

 

Sad, hazel eyes. No, heart broken hazel eyes.

 

The man – and Leo had an idea who, actually – sank down at Chris' side, offering the crumpled form that had been Gideon a surprisingly regretful look.

 

“You don't have to fight any more,” he said, taking Chris's hand. The other one came to stroke Chris's hair. It looked very much like a habitual action. “Everything's better, now,” he said, voice soft. “No more fighting.”

 

“Why,” Chris gasped, and Leo wondered what his question could be.

 

“Sh,” the man said, “I know.”

 

“N-,” Chris cut himself off. “Why,” he tried again. He was struggling for breath, like his could start the action but not actually get it into his lungs.

 

“It's okay little brother,” the man said, _Wyatt_ said. “I just wanted you to know. That you did it.”

 

Chris offered a smile even as tears escaped his eyes.

 

“You're the best little brother anyone could dream of,” Wyatt continued, voice dipping a little. “When mom and dad told me...I know I can't,” he stopped as if someone had grabbed his throat, “you need to know what you did was the right thing. It was. It is.”

 

“Wyatt,” Chris managed and Leo finally realized he hadn't been asking _Why_. He'd been trying to say his brother's name.

 

“Well you don't have any other brothers,” Wyatt agreed, grinning even as his eyes shone. “Or, maybe you do. Don't tell me, it doesn't matter and I want you to just listen, okay?”

 

Chris's silence was either pain, or agreement. Wyatt took it as the latter, apparently.

 

“You're the best little brother, in any time line. And though I can't change this, I can't save you this time, I'm going to make sure next time and every time after this, I can. And I won't ever, ever let this be in vain. I promise.”

 

As Wyatt spoke, Chris's eyes started to glaze, and alarmingly the hand in Wyatt's started to fade, slowly but surely. Startled, Leo grabbed for the other one, only to pass right through it. Wyatt smiled, soft and sad and shook his head. Chris, for his part, at least managed to move so he nudged the hand still on his head. As if telling Wyatt he understood.

 

“I love you,” Wyatt added, “I love every you. Every me, even the worst ones, do too, understand?” Chris managed his tiny movement again, even as more of him became transparent. “Good,” Wyatt's voice dropped again, into a whisper. “You can go now, Chris.”

 

“No. More,” Chris said, and looked like he wanted to say something.

 

“Right, Chris. No more fighting,” Wyatt said, “just...close your eyes. And it'll all be okay.”

 

And Chris did. And then he was gone. For a long moment, all Leo could do was shake his head, unwilling to believe. Unable to get past all the distrust and dislike they'd wasted time on. On how they'd managed such a fragile little bridge of forgiveness and it was shattered.

 

Across from him, grown Wyatt was dashing away tears, though not angrily or like he was trying to hide them. In his pen, baby Wyatt – _now Wyatt_ – was whimpering as if he understood something huge had just happened. Leo struggled with what to say – pushing down questions as if Chris was still here and already saying _future consequences_ in his ear.

 

“It's going to be okay dad,” Wyatt said, seeing his struggle. “It really is.”

 

Looking into those hazel, red rimmed eyes. The same eyes as baby Wyatt was finally developing. Leo could only nod.

 

And try, again, to believe.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm of the opinion that future!Chris doesn't just die, he ceases to exist along with the rest of his time line. So the idea that he died and never got to know he succeeded made me sad, as such, I decided to give him I think the one thing he would have wanted more than anything. To see the biggest change and the one he fought so hard for.


End file.
